On his third day in Papua New Guinea, Pope Francis traveled to the coast of the country. He was greeted by one of the three Argentine missionaries who motivated this visit to the Diocese of Vanimo.
There, he listened to stories from a married couple, religious sister and catechist, who described why many missionaries stopped their work and there are only 15 left in the diocese.
We face many challenges, including the school fees of our children and need for housing for our families, access to health care and education, and transportation.
Missions began in the country in the 1850s and now Catholics make up 30% of Papua New Guinea's population. In his reflection, the Pope touched on the natural beauty of the country and encouraged those present to use it to help spread a sense of fraternity and overcome division, especially among the country's more than 300 tribes.
POPE FRANCIS
In this way, we will increasingly form a great orchestra—which Maria Joseph, our violinist, likes so much—able with its notes to “recompose” rivalries, to overcome divisions— personal, family and tribal—to drive out fear, superstition and magic from people’s hearts, to put an end to destructive behaviors, such as violence, infidelity, exploitation, alcohol and drug abuse, evils which imprison and take away the happiness of so many of our brothers and sisters, even in this country.
After his reflection, Pope Francis left a golden rose—which is only given on papal visits to Marian shrines—at the feet of a statue of Mary.
KG
